The shoe industry is continually faced with customer demands for new and improved shoe designs. These new and improved shoe designs, especially those designed for athletics and other active wear, must be capable of securely supporting and cushioning the foot to prevent injury to the foot and leg, while at the same time providing a responsive footwear with a stable, lightweight, and streamline design. One feature of the shoe designed that has been restrained by conventional shoe manufacturing techniques is the design and integration of the midsole with the other parts of the shoe, such as the upper, insole, and outsole.
A conventional shoe comprises an upper, a midsole, an insole, and an outsole, wherein the midsole of the shoe is exposed. Prior art methods of shoe construction employ an "inside out" method which results in a portion of the midsole of the shoe being exposed. This inside out method results in a standardized look and styling employed by conventional athletic shoe brands that affect the support, responsiveness, and the streamlined look of the shoe.
The prior art method of shoe construction employing the "inside out" method resulting in the midsole of the shoe being exposed also creates problems for designers in developing a streamline and lightweight design. The design and streamline features of the shoe are interrupted by the midsole and accordingly, the upper and the outsole must be designed around the exposed midsole. This exposed midsole design also adds further variations in the shoe's interior dimensions that may affect fit, weight, and response of the footwear. In addition, the life of the shoe and the cushioning effect of the midsole is decreased with this exposed midsole design.
A shoe constructed using the prior art method has a midsole wherein the inside surface of the sidewall of the midsole was coupled to the upper and the outsole and the midsole is exposed. In accordance with this design, the laces pull the material of the shoe from the sides of the upper and top of the midsole. This results in the shoe being secured around the foot by means of a tightened upper with the midsole being loosely attached to the foot. This results in a fit that is not the best possible fit of the shoe about the foot, and also does not provide the best results with respect to the stability, support, and cushioning of the foot by the midsole.
Although the art of shoe construction is well developed, there remain some problems inherent in this technology, particularly with providing an athletic shoe and method of shoe construction that provides an improved and more secure fit of the shoe to a foot, and enhances stability, support, and cushioning of the foot by the midsole of the shoe. Therefore, the need exists for a shoe and method of shoe construction that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.